Lower Owens River Fishing Report

Owens River - Lower - Bishop, CA (Inyo County)


by The Trout Fitter Staff
8-11-2023
Website

Water Conditions:  Fair

Flows are 303 cfs as of 8/10

  The river below PVR is still off-color, not sure if it's algae or silt because the reservoir is very low. There is Gorge access to the middle and upper power plants as well as the reservoir. Pleasant Valley Dam Road is now open, Chalk Bluff Road is closed below the campground. There's virtually no access between the cement plant and PVR campground. LADWP is releasing water out onto the Owens Valley floor which in the future will be very beneficial but for right now be very careful where you drive.

 

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Poor-????

I'll try to get more information in the next day or 2, now that there's new access.

 The hatches have been weak, Midges and now Craneflies, Baetis, Tricos and Caddis. The river above Five Bridges Road has improved but still murky, the most likely culprit is Horton Creek which enters the river at gate 9. With the warming conditions a lot of the guides are switching over to bass on the ponds, canals and lower river. If you are coming up be very careful and respect the closures. With the dropping of the flows and the clearing of the water there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. The hatches are getting stronger and more diversified but the water needs to clean up before it will be really worth while. I'll be doing more explorations in the next couple of days but one possibility is skating Stimulators #10-14 in the evening on the back eddies and current seams. It's Cranefly egg laying time and the takes can be quite entertaining. I did see good surface activity in the slower bends above highway 6 this morning. Rise form indicated most likely Trico spinner fall. 

 

DRIES: Stillborn Midge #20-22  | Giffith's Gnat #22-24 |CDC Transition midge #20-22 | No Mercy Midge #18-24 | Boroff F/Homie #20, 24 | Para CDC Baetis #16-22 | Para Adams #14-22 | Stimulators #10-14

NYMPH:  Pheasant Tail #14-20 | Hares Ear #16-20 |Caddis Cased #12 | Zebra Midge #18-22 |Weiss BP light or dark #18-20 | Bottom Roller Phsyco Rhyco #10-14 | Pearl & Orange #16 |Chamois caddis #16-20 | TB Millers +1 Lt #16-18  | Lexi Girdle Bug Tan/Black #6 | HDA Fav. Variant #12-16

STREAMERS: Wooly Bugger Olive & Black #10-12 | Mini Sculpin Olive & Black #10-12




More Reports

The Trout Fitter Reports
for Friday, August 11th, 2023

Hot Creek: Hot Creek Fishing Report
San Joaquin River: San Joaquin River Fishing Report
Crowley Lake: Crowley Lake Fishing Report
Owens River - Section 3 - Upper (above Crowley): Upper Owens River Fishing Report

The Trout Fitter Reports
for Friday, August 4th, 2023

East Walker River (CA): Flows had dropped to around 450 cfs but have now come back up
Owens River - Lower: Lower Owens River Report
Owens River - Section 3 - Upper (above Crowley): Hatches and the fishing are starting to improve
San Joaquin River: Flows are at 230 cfs as of 8/6
Hot Creek: Water Conditions: Good, showing 76 cfs as of 8/6